Mar

Readers Write - My First Marathon

Posted by Jamie Published in Readers Write

DR Reader and fellow Diabetic Runner, Blogger, and CGMS-er, Ryan Nichols, sent me the story of his first marathon as we were emailing, and after reading it I felt I had to ask permission to post it here, and he kindly obliged. It is inspirational, and brings back memories of my first marathon experience… If you’ve done one, you’ll understand, if you are thinking of doing your first, check this out for some added motivation.

Ryan Nichols writes:

About four years ago I was in Washington D.C. for a work function; it is so clear in my mind now. A co-worker and I were flying home on October 26th. We almost missed our flight because our cab had to follow an alternate route due to the Marine Corps Marathon being run at that time. If someone would have told me then that in four years I would complete a marathon on that same course, I would have said, “You’re absolutely crazy.” Not only was I disinterested in running, but I did not think it was possible because I have diabetes. Well, four years have passed and I have completed 2 half marathons . . .and on Sunday October 28th, I completed the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. My first marathon!

Since my diagnosis eight years ago, I have been very conscientious of my health. In December of 2004, my girlfriend convinced me to start running with her. After doing many casual runs and a few short competitive runs, she talked me into a 15k run (9.3 miles). I did this, but I was worried how my blood sugar would react on a run of this distance. Well, it did not go very well. I had to stop running five times (almost 10 minutes) to check my blood sugar level. I also consumed many carbohydrates in order to finish the race; my time was 1:34:22. I am a very competitive person, and I was not happy with that time.

I did not think about tackling a distance longer than 15k until I started on the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS). In October of 2006, I ran my first half marathon, the Dayton River Corridor. I started on the CGMS about a week before the race. It was all pretty new to me, but it gave me a very good idea of my blood sugar levels. I ran a 1:52:11, but had to stop a number of times because my BS was a little low. About six months later I tried another half marathon, the Flying Pig Half Marathon. This race went much better. I did not have to stop as much to fuel because I learned how many carbohydrates I should consume in order to continue running without going hypoglycemic. I ran a 1:50:13 on a much tougher course and I did not have to stop at all during the race. I was also able to maintain good Blood Sugars! After having two half marathons under my belt, I decided I was ready for a full marathon.

I set my sights on the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. Because the marathon takes place at the end of October, the 16-week training program must begin in July. The training program is designed so that the early weeks in training are lower mileage, and then it builds up to longer runs. My hope was that because the longer runs were later in the program, the heat would be less of a factor. Unfortunately, the heat played a very big factor and made most of the training very difficult, but I figured it would make me that much stronger when the weather cooled. The CGMS played a very integral role in my training in these hot temperatures, as the heat can cause my blood sugars to do some crazy things. It causes the highs and lows to be much more sudden, and the CGMS allows me to react sooner.

I went to Washington D.C. very confident that I could finish, but also very intimidated about the 26.2 miles distance. I read and heard numerous stories about a “wall” that exists in the marathon, and how the 20-mile mark is really the “half way” point. My goal for the Marathon was to keep my blood sugar in the range of 115 – 170, and to run the Marathon in 3 hours and 40 minutes. I have learned that if my blood sugar drops lower than 115 or exceed 170, I begin to feel it. Dropping below 100 is where problems really occur because it zaps my energy level, which takes a while to get back up. When I go above 200, I begin to feel a drop in energy, but it’s not quite as drastic as going low. This is why it’s imperative to always know where my blood sugar levels are.

Running a marathon is very demanding, but running a marathon with diabetes is even more difficult. These two factors make fueling (eating while running)imperative, because as you run your blood sugar levels drop. After trying many different products, I have settled on the Cliff Shot Blocks. There are six of these in a pack for a total of 48 carbohydrates. I carried four packs of these on me to last the whole race.

I woke up at 5 a.m. the morning of the race, and the start of the marathon was 8 a.m. My waking Blood Sugar was 160. I calibrated the CGMS, and I ate a protein bar (31g Carbs) and had a cup of coffee. I took my normal bolus for the meal. Right before I left the hotel room at 6:05 a.m., I checked my Blood Sugar one last time with a finger stick, which read 135. This would be the last time I would check my sugar (with a finger stick) until after the race.

The weather was perfect and the Inspirational talks by the Marines before the race were amazing! At 7:45 a.m., I checked my Continuous Glucose Monitoring System and it read 140, so I ate three shot blocks. I figured these would cover me for the next 3 miles. From that point, I took three shot blocks (24g Carbs) every three miles. My blood sugar never went higher than 165 nor lower than 125. I checked my pump for my blood sugar about every 10-15 minutes.

I tried so hard to hold back in the beginning, which I did pretty well. I stayed right ahead of the 3:40 pace group for about the first 16 miles. From there, I stayed with the 3:40 pacer. At about mile 20 I was going over my status in my head, and I kept wondering where was this “wall”? I continued this “status check” at every mile marker the rest of the way. It wasn’t until after the 25-mile mark that I felt a little twinge in my right hamstring going up an incline. I reached back and massaged the hamstring while I was running and it went away as the course flattened out. The hamstring turned out to be temporary, and with the crowds at the end, I felt like I floated across the finish line. I completed the race in 3:40:06.

Over the period of the whole race, my diabetes did not cost me a single second, and I attribute this to my training with the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System. When compared to my first Half Marathon, I would estimate that stopping to check my blood sugar cost me about four minutes. I did check my BS (finger stick) after the race and it matched my CGMS at 125!

If you are interested in seeing my splits you can go to http://results.active.com/pages/oneResult.jsp?pID=30850708&rsID=47350 My first half of the marathon was 1:49:01 and my second half was 1:51:05.

It is truly the most amazing thing I have ever done in my life, and I am already looking forward to the Flying Pig Marathon in May. My ultimate goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon within the next three years. I truly believe that these dreams would not be possible without the use of the Minimed Pump and the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System. They have made this disease a starting gun instead of a roadblock in the race of life.

-Ryan Nichols